Julie Campbell, Toni Davidson and Tim Kiser

1
Contaminant Exposures of White Sturgeon from the
Kootenai River and Upper Columbia River
Julie Campbell, Toni Davidson and Tim Kiser U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service Spokane,
Washington Edward E. Little and Robin
Calfee Columbia Environmental Research
Center Columbia, Missouri
USGS photo
2
Background

• Investigate contaminant exposure as a potential
  contributing factor in recruitment failure of
  Kootenai River white sturgeon
• Chlorine discharges from water treatment
  facilities in range of 300 500 mg/L
• Kootenai Tribe of Idaho concerns over chemicals
  proposed for Eurasian watermilfoil treatment
• USGS and USFWS Recovery Initiative partnership
• KTOI and WDFW provided hatchery fish

3
Objectives

• Determine sensitivity of white sturgeon from the
  Kootenai River to chlorine and copper in
  laboratory (2007-08)
• Evaluate behavioral avoidance response to
  chlorine and copper (2008-09)
• Evaluate actual concentrations of chlorine and
  metals from municipal discharges in Kootenai
  River and compare to sturgeon toxicity data
  (2008)

4
Objectives

• Determine sensitivity of Kootenai River white
  sturgeon to 3 herbicides proposed for treatment
  of Eurasian watermilfoil
• Compare toxicity data to recommended application
  rates for herbicides
• Determine effectiveness of rainbow trout as a
  surrogate for white sturgeon, through comparative
  tests

USGS photo
5
Toxicity Test Methods
Conduct flow-through toxicity tests with two life
stages of KRWS or CRWS and rainbow trout
exposed to copper or chlorine over 96 hours

• Conduct static toxicity tests with two life
  stages of KRWS and rainbow trout exposed over 96
  hours to the herbicides
• - 2,4-D (2,4-DMA4IV, Dow AgroSciences LLC)
• - triclopyr (Renovate, SePRO Corporation)
• - fluridone (Sonar, SePRO Corporation)

6
Toxicity Test Methods

• Two life stages tested
• - 30 days post swim-up
• - 160 days post swim-up
• Chlorine and copper exposures were conducted in a
  water hardness of approximately 100 mg/L as CaCO3
• Herbicides exposures were conducted in a water
  hardness of approximately 260 mg/L as CaCO3
• Measured variables
• - Loss of equilibrium
• - Mortality
• - Toxicant concentration
• - Water quality

USGS photo
7
Results Chlorine
96-h LC50 (ug/L)
Days Post-swimup
Max daily ambient water quality criteria 19 ug/L
8
Results Copper
96-h LC50 (ug/L)
Days Post-swimup
Acute water quality criteria 13 ug/L
9
Results 2,4-D
96-h LC50 (mg/L)
Days Post-swimup
Maximum recommended application rate 4.0 mg/L
10
Results Fluridone
96-h LC50 (mg/L)
Days Post-swimup
Recommended application rate 0.15 mg/L
11
Results Triclopyr
96-h LC50 (mg/L)
Days Post-swimup
Recommended application rate 2.5 mg/L
12
Conclusions

• Chlorine/Copper
• Kootenai River sturgeon and Columbia River
  sturgeon were similarly sensitive to chlorine at
  concentrations below those that affect rainbow
  trout sensitivity of older lifestage similar to
  early lifestage.
• Early lifestage sturgeon were highly sensitive to
  copper at concentrations considerably lower than
  those that affect rainbow trout, and below AWQC
  of 13 ug/L.
• Older lifestage sturgeon were relatively
  insensitive to copper at concentrations higher
  than those affecting rainbow trout.
• Tests repeated in 2008 with similar results

13
Conclusions

• Herbicides
• White sturgeon were consistently more sensitive
  to herbicides than rainbow trout.
• Early lifestage sturgeon were consistently more
  sensitive to herbicides than older lifestage
  sturgeon.
• Although herbicide treatments were not lethal to
  (older) fish, significant behavioral impairments
  resulting from exposure would limit survival.

USGS photo
14
Conclusions

• Herbicides
• Triclopyr - lowest probability of causing adverse
  effects to white sturgeon at the maximum
  recommended application rate.
• Fluridone and 2,4-D - 5 sturgeon mortality at
  concentrations less than the recommended
  application rates.
• Additional data addressing sub-lethal and lethal
  effects to sturgeon from exposure to fluridone
  and 2,4-D.
• Rainbow trout are not necessarily an adequate
  surrogate for white sturgeon in laboratory
  toxicity tests

15
How are these studies relevant to UCR white
sturgeon?

• Copper
• Early lifestage sturgeon in contact with pore
  water during hiding phase, refuge from predators
• USGS (Paulson and Cox 2007) evaluated transfer of
  metals from UCR sediments to interstitial and
  overlying waters throughout Lake Roosevelt
• 3 contact scenarios evaluated
• interstitial water (within top 2 cm of
  sediment)
• incubated water (32 d incubation of sediment
  cores)
• tumbled sediment/water (aggressively mixed with
  sediment for 43 d)

16
Copper vs. ELS sturgeon
Observed ELS Sturgeon LC50
Data from Paulson and Cox 2007
17
Herbicides

• Any proposal for treatment of Eurasion
  watermilfoil in sturgeon-inhabited areas of the
  Upper Columbia River should consider the findings
  of herbicide toxicity studies
• Of the three herbicides evaluated, triclopyr has
  lowest probability of causing adverse effects to
  white sturgeon at the maximum recommended
  application rate.
• Additional data addressing sub-lethal and lethal
  effects to white sturgeon from exposure to
  fluridone and 2,4-D are needed.

18
2008 On-going investigations

• Chlorine/Copper behavioral avoidance
• (USFWS Recovery Initiative Funding)
• 160 dps sturgeon exposed to ranges of
  concentrations
• Counter-current avoidance apparatus

USGS photo
19
2008 On-going investigations

• Acute Toxicity of Columbia River
  slag-contaminated sediments (USGS NW Flex
  Fund)
• 96-hour acute toxicity tests, 30 dps sturgeon,
  5 UCR sites
• Test 1 slag leachate aged 7 days, mixed
  daily
• Test 2 fish exposed to sediment/slag
• with fresh water

Test 1
Test 2
USGS photos
20
2008 On-going investigations

• Columbia River slag behavioral avoidance
• (USGS NW Flex Fund)
• 30 dps sturgeon exposed to slag-contaminated
  sediments
• Counter-current avoidance apparatus with slag
  substrate
• Dark, course aquarium sand used as control
• All data currently being analyzed
• Additional evaluations planned for 2009